TPE for cosmetic products

The cosmetics market is extremely competitive. Apart from fragrances, decorative and caring contents, the packaging also plays a significant role with the task of underlining elegance and luxury in the form of a high-quality design. It is also one of the most important elements of overall communication, a benchmark for the appearance, quality and not least the price of a product. TPE plastics have long been replacing other materials in certain areas as this material has significantly increased the possibilities concerning application and design, including some which would have been practically inconceivable only a few years ago.

TPE with high media resistance to cosmetic ingredients

Packaging has the task of complying with numerous practical and sales-promoting characteristics, whereby “packaging” not only refers to the outside shell but also often includes the integration of various additional functions such as twist mechanisms, seals or hinges. A high degree of transparency, glossy surface finishes, high strength, rigidity, above-average color intensity, resistance to media and easy processability – these can all be requirements on the TPE material for cosmetic packaging demanding high-quality TPE compounds complying with these requirements while simultaneously revealing a new level of freedom of design. The requirement profile would suggest relying on highly-efficient TPE (thermoplastic elastomers) such as the SOFT EST.® TPE plastic compounds offered by ACTEGA DS. Apart from the high degree of elasticity displayed by this material, its media resistance is also of significance. On the one hand, cosmetic ingredients such as essential oils, fragrances or fats can impair the plastic packaging and damage it or even reduce the life cycle of individual components. On the other hand, there can be interactions between individual substances and/or between packaging and contents. But the packaging should protect its contents. This also means safeguarding it from any type of damage or drying out, for example. At the same time, the active ingredients should stay pure and original. The aim, therefore, is to prevent diffusion or migration from the plastic into the contents, considering these contents also usually come into direct contact with skin.

Efficient production of cosmetics thanks to innovative TPE plastics

Packaging used by the cosmetics industry represents a wide variety of shapes and colors. We would like to present the various areas of application and functions of TPE as follows:
TPE overmolding in certain areas of perfume or deodorant bottles, pots of cream, lipsticks or eyeliners gives rise to a hand-friendly product with a silky, velvety feel. Our certificates and conformities confirm the compatible, skin-neutral and allergen-free characteristics of our elastic, rubber-like SOFT EST.® TPE granulates. With this product feature displayed by our thermoplastic elastomers, the sleek and pleasant packaging of your styling or care product already underlines your brand and its quality. TPE are also used in beauty products such as make-up brushes and mirrors or eyelash curlers. In so-called hard/soft compounds, the adhesion-modified TPE plastic is processed in injection-molding along with other thermoplastics such as ABS (acrylnitrile-butadiene-styrene co-polymers) or PC (polycarbonates), thereby creating a substance-to-substance compound. By integrating adhesion-enhancing components in the TPE mixture, transparent, translucent and natural-colored TPE can be developed which adhere to various plastics. Without any additional assembly, this permits the creation of a hard and soft component in consumer items such as beauty and make-up products. TPE can also be used in the manufacture of filigree areas such as mascara brushes, for example. Accordingly, the SOFT EST.® product portfolio includes materials with very good flow properties and extraordinarily good molding characteristics.

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